Eggplant :growing and cooking

POTAWIE

POTAWIE

I've been growing a few eggplants over the years but I've never really cooked with them. Everyone tells me I gotta try eggplant parmesan or just grill them but so far I've only made Baba Ganoush and that was years ago.
So I guess my question is what types do people like or dislike to grow/eat and what other uses are there. Also what are your favs for looks? Any eggplant parmesan recipes would be appreciated too.
This year I'm growing some: fairy tail hybrids(mini), some Italian variety and some Machiaw hybrids(long and cool looking)
 
I'll have to look it up but I make a Grilled Eggplant Parm that is outstanding.
Basically goes like -- Cut eggplants long ways approximately 1/2 thick brush olive oil, salt and pepper... Grill medium heat till brown not burnt on a well oiled grill top, flip over and top with sliced tomatoe,minced garlic, I chiffonade basil but you can use whole leaves (obviuosly fresh basil, and top with mozzarella cheese fresh, sliced, grated you decide, close lid for a few minutes till cheese is nice and melted and viola -- Grilled Eggplant parm.

Other ways is a lot of frying and time consuming and in the winter I dont like my house smelling like a big french fry... I suppose you can bake them in the oven but I don like'em fried, layer in a 13x9 baking dish and on top of the first layerput on tomatoe sauce, and parmesan cheese some people use a mix of ricotta and mozzarella like a lasagna and just repeat the layers pretty simple really -- if you want some more detail I can give it to you but heres the jist
 
Only on the fried/baked -- some people just layer fried/baked eggplant slice (coins) sauce and sprinle desired amount parm and repeat until dish is full
 
I make egg plant parmesan over marinara and pasta.

I slice the eggplant into round slices, as thin as possible.

Dip them in a light egg wash (2 parts water, 1 part egg< also lots of salt and pepper)
then dredge them in Panko bread crumbs and pan fry in olive oil.

Put that over a meatless marinara and pasta. I then put parmesan and mozzerella over the whole mess and broil it for a minute. YUM.

Rattatoullie is also a great dish.

Lots of eggplant, peeled and cubed.
1 onion diced
5 cloves rarlic minced
2 diceed tomatoes
a handful each of:
fresh basil
fresh oregano
fresh parsley

salt and pepper

Basically I simmer the eggplant and tomatoes in olive oil for a few minutes, then add all of the other ingredients and simmer until the onions are translucent. Salt and pepper to taste.

I haven't grown eggplants, but the best ones I have had were these little ones, 4 inches long or so, that we got at a local indian grocery. Not sure what they were called.
 
It has a very distinct flavor. Ever had Baba Ghanoush?
 
I love eggplants, seriously.
Grilled with just a little bit of lemon juice and salt. OR grilled and covered with yogurt... :drooling:
I'm not sure if you have any where you live, but covering it with Thina (or Thini, or whatever you call it...) is even better! :P
Grilled eggplants in mayonnaise are pretty good as well. but the best eggplant dish ever is just slices of fried eggplants (thick slices salted overnight and then fried with egg). :cool:

I can go on all day! :lol:
 
a sponge :think: they can be really tasty if you're really hungry :lol:

no I have not tried or even heard of Baba Ghanoush, I live in the boondocks. but strangely enough for some odd reason we can buy squid & octopus at walmart :shocked::lol: they had some fresh baby octopus last week & I was thinking about buying some, I've aten squid/octopus before & like it.
 
chilehunter said:
a sponge :think: they can be really tasty if you're really hungry :lol:
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Eggplants don't taste like sponges. :shocked:
The eggplant itself is sponge-like, but only by texture. not flavor.
The good taste of an eggplant is even more noticeable after cooking it.
If it's your first try, just stick a whole one to the oven and peel it when it's done.
You could try all kinds of small things with that single eggplant.
If you don't like it. don't buy it anymore.
 
omri - you make a good point " if you dont like it, dont buy it anymore" I think I might buy 1 soon to try. hearing all this talk about eggplants on this site & seeing some chile growers starting to sell eggplants sparks some curiosity.
 
Eggplant tastes really good if you take a little of the water out of it first...the way I like it most is like this:
Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch lengthwise slices
Sprinkle generously with good Kosher or Sea Salt on both sides
place pieces on a flat tray, place another tray on top, and then put a weight (such as a heavy bowl) on top and let sit for about 15-20 min...the salt will leach out the excess water and you'll have a very limp eggplant slice.
Rinse them off under some water to remove the excess salt and pad dry.
Rub slices with some mashed garlic and olive oil, season with some salt and black pepper, and hot pepper flakes.
Broil or grill on each side until browned.
Serve hot on good bread drizzled with olive oil and good sharp Romano cheese.
 
I'm doing the same with salt, only I leave it over night in a deep strainer (inside a bowl).
Does the same job, only better. :lol:
 
Last year was the first year I grew eggplant but I'll have four different types this year - Ping Tung, Long Purple, Louisiana Green and Black Champion. I use them in soups and stews. Sliced, floured and fried they taste somewhat sweet, at least the variety I grew last year did. One important thing I was told - don't let them get too ripe. They have a bunch of seeds and if they completely ripen, not only will you have lots of them, but the eggplant gets much tougher.

Mike
 
also the seeds make you gassy...
if you like rice dishes this is really good. slice the eggplant (like a pound) and salt it, set it aside for a while (even overnight like omri does). in a deep pan saute some onion (one, diced but keep like two tablespoons for later) in two tablespoons of oil then add meat to brown (lamb or beef depending how fancy you are, a pound cubed) add two tablespoons tomato paste and one tablespoon of turmeric then cover with boiling water and let it simmer for a while until the meat is tender (and don't let all the water evaporate, but at the same time don't go overboard).
now rinse off the eggplant and brown them by either frying in oil or baking (oil the cookie sheet), then add to the meat mixture (not with the oil tho...) along with a sliced tomato or half a can of diced tomatoes. let that all simmer until the eggplant is really tender, now transfer to a serving dish.
now in a little frying pan combine the leftover onion, some dried mint (like a little pile in your hand, this is hard since i didn't learn any of these with actual measurements) a clove of minced garlic and two tablespoons of oil and fry that up (you'll know its ready cuz it'll smell really really good) and put that over top of everything. serve over steamed rice (this is called a khoresh, its like a really thick stew you pour over rice)
 
cheezydemon said:
It is good, but I find that thick pieces are more mushy and less desireable. I slice it as thin as possible myself.
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Try to fry them.
The thin ones will be over-cooked, and the thick ones are the good ones. ;)
 
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